http://techcrunch.com/2011/10/23/9-skills-super-connector/

• Share your calendar
• Keep appointments anonymous
• Allow people to request meetings (while requiring them to provide multiple times)

Tungle is an intriguing solution.  I did find out the hard way that it is not a 2-way calendar sync.  For syncing my outlook and google calendars (needed to give editing permission to my calendar to my virtual assistant and allow others to view specific appointments) I still have to use Google calendar sync.   Check out Tungle and leave a comment letting us know your thoughts.

Jigsaw charges you to access people’s contact information (it is hard to earn credits) but it can also be used simply to find the name of the right person at a company.  I have found this an invaluable tool and encourage all of you to try it out.  Click here to get started.

Katrina is a Virtual Assistant and Creative Writer. She started working as an online freelance provider last February 2010. She has now completed 63 hours and looking forward to a long term working relationship with her clients. In this article she shares her experience on the benefits and challenges of being a Virtual Assistant.

New to the concept of being a Virtual Assistant I have learned a lot from when I started 3 weeks ago. It’s actually amazing to know that the concept of having a personal assistant or secretary remotely online is possible! A cost effective option to hiring professional help to assist you through your numerous tasks and busy schedule for it can be done on a contractual basis and you only pay for the hours worked. No additional costs on manpower since your VA is not included on the payroll, health benefits not required, no bonuses and no paid vacation leaves.

A variety of tasks can be assigned to a Virtual Assistant like administrative work: setting and following up appointments, managing emails, calendar, schedules etc., transcribing meetings and conferences, and research. Other specialized tasks can include web design, web maintenance, graphics and software design.

Apart from the challenge of being in different time zones, hiring a Virtual Assistant can be easy to manage and sustain. You need to have a constant mode of communication like skype, ym, google chat and email for you to be able to correspond to each other effectively. A shared file drive like Dropbox is also helpful to have files you both commonly use available for viewing and exchange. I find that using a tracker or spreadsheet for all of your assignments and tasks is effective in planning and managing the projects assigned. It also helps to track your VA’s progress on a certain assignment. Response time to emails and sending of updates on a regular basis to further improve communication and facilitate exchange of information needs to be defined.

Employing a Virtual Assistant maybe impersonal for some since they don’t get to see the employee personally but I would view it as a one of kind experience that gives an opportunity to both individuals to work together amidst the geographical boundaries, have exposure to different cultures, and to appreciate learning from each other.

By using outsourced resources on odesk/Elance, I built this site in under a week.  The logo, web design, and SEO is all handled by people working with me via odesk, freeing me up to continue my normal pursuits.

I am relatively new to the concept of outsourcing but have seen firsthand how dramatically it will alter the world of work.   If they knew how to use these resources, most companies could easily outsource a good deal of their tech and marketing talent.  At a previous company, I spent well over $150,000 on brand, website, and other marketing.  With odesk/Elance this cost would drop dramatically.

I am now well up the learning curve on the idea of a virtual assistant who is slowly helping me to outsource a surprising number of tasks.  I see a virtual assistant as an additional resource in building your network and can already see how I can have them help me with emails, scheduling, research on companies, and beyond.  One of the hurdles I am finding with a virtual assistant is how to share email and other online accounts without sharing passwords.  Existing CRM solutions allow you to grant others access to your network with their own login and I see the potential to include this level of privacy/control as valuable in the next generation of personal CRM.

Coming soon, look for a posting from Katrina, my virtual assistant on the benefits and hurdles of outsourcing with a virtual assistant.

• You Can’t Whiteboard Focus: No amount of analytical frameworks and lists of pros and cons can help you find your focus.  So stop now and dive right in.
• You Can Find Meaning and Passion in Unexpected Places: I truly believe that passion can come from surprising places and that you can find meaning in almost anything if you approach it in the right way and commit yourself to it fully.
• Dive In: We spend too much time over-thinking passion and focus.  I know I am guilty of this.  One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was “Stop thinking about it and take action”.   A year ago, a good friend asked me what I enjoyed doing on the side and I told him about the tools I had developed and he encouraged me to launch this site.  From there my interest and passion for personal CRM and networking has grown.  You won’t know if you are passionate about something until you jump in, so get started.
• Make Sure You Like the People: If you think you may have found an industry that gets you excited, take a step back and make sure you like the people in this industry.  I had some good friends that bought a company in the credit collections industry.  After a few years discovered they didn’t like going to the conventions or spending time with the people in this industry.  It is important to know this upfront so I encourage you to go to a convention early.
• Stop Focusing on Money: As a great advisor said to me, you can’t come to work for the money long-term.  Make sure there is something else that gets you there in the morning.  Otherwise, you will wake up at 50 and find you are unhappy.  I have watched many bankers, consultants, and lawyers who stayed because of the money learn this lesson too late in life.
• Personal CRM Can Be a Forcing Function: Because CRM creates categories and industries to classify your contacts, I have found it forces you to narrow your focus automatically.
• What Stories Can You Tell From Your Past Experience: Take your previous and current job and ask what tangential stories you can tell from your experiences.  For example, if you were a lawyer with a lot of real estate clients, start exploring whether you have a passion for real estate.
• Once You Have Some Possible Areas to Focus, Evaluate Them By Making Lists: One of the most helpful things for me is to take themes or keywords and develop lists of companies around them.  I recently guided one friend as he pulled a list of companies in the outdoor adventure space and it has helped him to focus his passion